Apparatus and method for direct air capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

ABSTRACT

An apparatus utilizes a membrane unit to capture components from atmospheric air, including carbon dioxide, enriches the carbon dioxide concentration, and delivers the enriched concentration of carbon dioxide to a sequestering facility. The membrane is configured such that as a first gas containing oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide is drawn through the membrane, a permeate stream is formed where the permeate stream has an oxygen concentration and a carbon dioxide concentration higher than in the first gas and a nitrogen concentration lower than in the first gas. A permeate conduit, having a vacuum applied to it by a vacuum generating device receives the permeate stream and a delivery conduit delivers at least a portion of the enriched carbon dioxide to a sequestering facility. The apparatus may comprise a component of a system where the system may have a flue gas generator and/or a secondary enrichment system disposed between the vacuum generating device and the sequestering facility.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to direct capture of carbon dioxide from theatmosphere utilizing membranes operating under vacuum, enriching thecarbon dioxide concentration and forwarding the enriched carbon dioxideto a sequestration facility. Embodiments of the present invention may beutilized to reduce the overall concentration of carbon dioxide in theatmosphere. The term “sequestration facility” is defined herein asanyone of a variety of mechanisms which sequester the carbon dioxidethereby preventing immediate release back into the atmosphere. The termmay include systems which utilize bio-sequestration, such as orchards,crops, forests, and other photosynthetic organisms which either convertcarbon dioxide utilizing photosynthesis or store the carbon dioxide inthe organism. The sequestration facility may also include manufacturingprocesses which utilize carbon dioxide. The sequestration facility mayalso include a system which injects carbon dioxide into petroleumreservoirs for purposes of enhanced oil recovery such as miscibleflooding.

This application further relates to the utilization of membranes undervacuum for providing an enriched oxygen stream to a flue gas generatorthereby decreasing fuel consumption and reducing the output of flue gasemissions. The carbon dioxide concentration in the flue gas, as comparedto a flue gas generator without oxygen enrichment of the air supply, ishighly enriched and thus suitable for various commercial uses, which mayinclude enhanced oil recovery operations, agricultural use, medicalapplications, and other known commercial applications.

It is known that carbon dioxide is a major contributor to globalwarming. Global warming is a result of increasing concentrations ofgreenhouse gases (“GHG”) in the atmosphere. Among the primary greenhousegases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,perfluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. Of these,carbon dioxide is the primary anthropogenic (i.e., manmade) GHG,accounting for a substantial portion of the human contribution to thegreenhouse effect in recent years.

There is an ongoing and critical need for additional mechanisms andmethods for reducing consumption of non-renewable fuels and reducingatmospheric carbon dioxide.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention exploit the unique property ofmembranes to economically achieve direct air capture of carbon dioxidefrom the atmosphere and separating carbon dioxide, oxygen, and watervapor from nitrogen and producing a permeate comprising enrichedconcentration of carbon dioxide, oxygen and water, and a reducedconcentration of nitrogen. Instead of using processes which yield highlypurified concentrations of carbon dioxide and oxygen at significantcapital expense and significant operating costs, embodiments of thepresent invention utilize low pressure “leaf” membrane units to removenitrogen from the atmospheric air and thereby mildly or moderatelyincreasing the concentrations of the carbon dioxide and the oxygen inthe permeate. The resulting permeate stream does not have to be highlypurified to attain significant benefits.

Embodiments of the present invention may utilize membrane materialshaving properties similar to those of the cellulose acetate based sheetor spiral wound type membrane units used in the Separex™ membraneproduct as manufactured by Honeywell/UOP, or other polymeric basedmembrane products such as “plate and frame” type Polaris™ membranes asmanufactured by MTR, Inc., or hollow fiber type membrane units such asCynara™ membranes manufactured by Schlumberger, or PRISM™ membranes asmanufactured by Air Products. However, these known membrane devices havesignificant supporting structure and require blowers or compressors foroperation of the systems.

The use of the above listed membrane materials and products enrich theoxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations of a gas stream processedthrough the membrane units. Carbon dioxide and oxygen pass or permeatemore rapidly through the membrane relative to nitrogen, thereby forminga permeate stream which is more concentrated or enriched in oxygen andcarbon dioxide than the “feed” stream. It is noted that the term “feed”is used somewhat loosely for purposes of this disclosure and does notrefer to a stream delivered to the membrane via an intake or similarstructure. With embodiments of the presently disclosed leaf membranes, a“feed” side of the membrane (which may also be referred to as the “outerside” but should not be thereby limited to an exterior position) isexposed to a gas, i.e., air, which is brought into the membrane unit bya vacuum applied to the membrane unit. Gas components which passrelatively slowly through the membrane in comparison to oxygen, carbondioxide and water, such as nitrogen, remain mostly on the same side ofthe membrane as the “feed” stream and disbursed into the atmosphere.

In one embodiment of the invention, a flue gas generator may be disposedbetween the membrane unit and the sequestration facility. The combustionprocesses utilized in flue gas generators conventionally use atmosphericair to produce a flue gas that contains carbon dioxide concentrationswell above that found in atmospheric air. As indicated above, thepermeate stream generated from the disclosed membrane units has higherconcentrations of carbon dioxide and oxygen than atmospheric air. Whenthe permeate stream is introduced into a combustion process in place ofatmospheric air, the result is a flue gas having a carbon dioxideconcentration well above that from using conventional combustion air.This carbon dioxide enriched flue gas may then be utilized in thesequestration facilities discussed above. In some embodiments of theinvention the flue gas generator may be pressurized thereby eliminatingthe need for downstream pressurization.

Embodiments of the present invention may also comprise a secondary (ortertiary) enrichment system which utilizes the permeate from a firststage membrane unit as a feed for secondary membrane units containedwithin enclosures such as conduit or piping or as feed for a cryogenicoxygen enrichment system.

A unique vacuum system may be utilized for application of vacuum to themembrane units. The disclosed bellows system is relatively simple andrequires low power input to generate the vacuum necessary to process afeed gas through the disclosed leaf membranes.

A method of direct air capture of carbon dioxide utilizing membranemembers under vacuum is also disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a configuration for a bank or array of leaf membraneunits which may be utilized for direct air capture of atmospheric air.

FIG. 2 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of a leaf membrane unitwhich may be utilized for low pressure direct air capture of carbondioxide.

FIG. 3 shows a system which may utilize embodiments of leaf membranesfor low pressure enrichment of a gas stream comprising oxygen and carbondioxide flowing into a flue gas source.

FIG. 4 depicts a system which may utilize embodiments of leaf membranesfor low pressure enrichment and a separate system for secondaryenrichment of a gas stream comprising oxygen and carbon dioxide flowinginto a flue gas source.

FIG. 5 depicts a system which may utilize embodiments of leaf membranesfor low pressure enrichment of a gas stream comprising oxygen and carbondioxide flowing into a pressurized flue gas source.

FIG. 6 depicts a system which may utilize embodiments of leaf membranesfor lower pressure enrichment and a separate system for secondaryenrichment of a gas stream comprising oxygen and carbon dioxide flowinginto a pressurized flue gas source.

FIG. 7 depicts an embodiment of a configuration of membrane unitsmounted within enclosed conduits which may be utilized for secondary(and tertiary) enrichment of a permeate stream in embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 8 depicts an alternative embodiment of a configuration of membraneunits mounted within enclosed conduits which may be utilized forsecondary (and tertiary) enrichment of a permeate stream in embodimentsof the invention.

FIG. 9 depicts an embodiment of a membrane unit which may be utilized ina system as depicted in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 depicts a piping configuration which may be utilized for asecondary and tertiary enrichment of a permeate stream.

FIG. 11 schematically depicts an embodiment of a bellows vacuum systemfor alternatively applying vacuum to a permeate stream in a low-pressuremembrane and for generating pressure to deliver the permeate for furtherprocessing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 depicts a configuration for an array or bank 100 formed by aplurality of leaf membrane units 102 for direct air capture ofcomponents of atmospheric air, specifically oxygen, nitrogen, watervapor, and, most importantly, carbon dioxide. It is to be appreciatedthat a plurality of banks 100 as depicted in FIG. 1 may be deployed toincrease the direct air capture of carbon dioxide. Once captured, leafmembrane units 102 separate oxygen, carbon dioxide and water fromnitrogen, forming a permeate comprising enriched concentrations ofoxygen, carbon dioxide and water, but a depleted level of nitrogen. Theseparated nitrogen simply returns to the atmosphere while the permeate,flows into delivery conduit 104 and into headers 106. A vacuumgenerating device 108 applies a vacuum to the leaf membrane units 102 ofbank 100. Vacuum generating device applies a strong vacuum to the leafmembrane units. Among the acceptable vacuum generating devices 108 areblowers, liquid ring compressors, or the bellows vacuum system describedbelow and schematically depicted in FIG. 11.

It is to be appreciated that multiple membrane banks 100 may be utilizedto increase the capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Becausethe disclosed systems, including the membranes, the conduits, and thevacuum generating devices can be produced at relatively low cost, theonly significant detriment in utilizing a substantial number of membranebanks 100 is the amount of area required for placement of the units.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a leaf membrane unit 102 from themembrane bank 100. Leaf membrane unit 102 comprises surface membranesheets 110 which are disposed on either side of barrier ribbed sheet112. Each side of the barrier ribbed sheet 112 comprises a plurality orribs 114. Barrier ribbed sheet 112 comprises edges 116 which areattached to corresponding edges of the sides 118 of each surfacemembrane sheet 110 which are in facing relation to each side the barrierribbed sheet 112. Leaf membrane unit 102 takes neat (meaning ambientatmospheric) air allows oxygen, carbon dioxide and water to pass throughsurface membrane sheets 110, thereby producing a lower total volume ofand significantly higher concentration in the permeate stream of oxygen,carbon dioxide and water, and significantly lower concentration ofnitrogen. The elimination of most or all of the nitrogen than in the airresults in a permeate stream of enriched concentrations of oxygen,carbon dioxide and water. The permeate flows into the respectiveenvelopes created between the opposing faces of each surface membranesheet 110 and the barrier ribbed sheet 112 defining, with respect onlyto the orientation shown in FIG. 2, an upper envelope and a lowerenvelope, with conjoined edges 116, 118 enclosing all but one side ofthe upper envelope and the lower envelope.

The permeate is directed by ribs 114 towards an open side of the upperenvelope and an open side of the lower envelope at unattached edges 120of the surface membrane sheets 110 and unattached edge 122 of thebarrier ribbed sheet 112. The open side at unattached edges 120, 122 isinserted into slot 124 of permeate conduit 104.

FIGS. 3-6 depict different generalized configurations of a flue gasgenerator 300, 400, 500, 600 which may be utilized in the variousembodiments of the invention. FIG. 3 depicts a base embodiment 300 whichutilizes a membrane bank 100 upstream of the flue gas generator 300.FIG. 4 depicts an alternative embodiment 400 which utilizes a membranebank 100 but also includes structure for secondary enrichment of thepermeate stream. FIG. 5 depicts an alternative embodiment 500 whichutilizes membrane bank 100 but also utilizes a pressurized flue gasgenerator. FIG. 6 depicts an alternative embodiment 600 which utilizes amembrane bank 100, the structure for secondary enrichment of thepermeate stream, and utilizes a pressurized flue gas generator.

For the base embodiment, flue gas generator 300 may have a stack 302which may be capped with a closure device 304 at the tip. Flue gasgenerator 300 may have an economizer 306, which is a heat exchangerwhich saves on fuel gas by preheating boiler feed water from ambienttemperature on the tube side up to approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit,utilizing hot stack gas on the shell side, utilizing a boiler feed waterpump 308. Fuel for the boiler 310 is delivered through fuel inlet 312.“Air” for the boiler 310 is delivered through air inlet 314, althoughthe “air” provided through the inlet will comprise permeate provided bymembrane bank 100. Discharge from flue gas generator 300, which maycomprise an enriched concentration of carbon dioxide, may be deliveredto a cooler 316 with the cooled gas dehydrated with liquids removalequipment (not shown) and then pressurized by a compressor or blower 318for delivery to a sequestration facility 5000, which may include systemswhich utilize bio-sequestration, such as orchards, crops, forests, andother photosynthetic organisms which either convert carbon dioxideutilizing photosynthesis or store the carbon dioxide in the organism.The sequestration facility 5000 may also include manufacturing processeswhich utilize carbon dioxide. The sequestration facility 5000 may alsoinclude a system which injects carbon dioxide into petroleum reservoirsfor purposes of enhanced oil recovery such as miscible flooding.

Air provided to the boiler 310 first passes through membrane bank 100.Membrane bank 100 utilizes a vacuum generating device 108 to drawambient or atmospheric air into contact with the individual leafmembrane units 102, and to pull the permeate through each membrane. Thevacuum generating device 108 may be a blower or a liquid ringcompressor, although both types of devices require liquid separation.Alternatively, a bellows vacuum device 1100 as schematically depicted inFIG. 11 may be utilized. Vacuum generating device 108 discharges apermeate stream which, after being dehydrated as necessary by separator324, is delivered to air inlet 114.

The bellows vacuum device 1100 uses less energy than a blower or aliquid ring compressor. The bellows vacuum device may be fabricated froma large enclosure, such as a tank. It is to be noted that because of thelow speeds at which the bellows vacuum system operates, and thelubrication to be provided between the cylinder walls and piston, thatlittle or no heat will be generated at the discharge of the device.

As shown in FIG. 11, double-acting piston 1102 is set within a largecylinder 1104. Piston 1102 may have graphite rings and/or the cylinderwalls 1106 may comprise graphite. Actuation devices 1108, 1110respectively utilize connectors 1112, 1114 to actuate piston 1102 ineither direction within the cylinder 1104. It is to be appreciated thatlarge cylinder 1104 need not be a pressure vessel and that actuationdevices 1108, 1110 may be small winches driven by small motors andconnectors 1112, 1114 may be light rods or small diameter cables.Double-acting piston 1102 may be diamond-shaped to provide additionalstructural integrity under vacuum conditions.

As indicated in FIG. 11, bellows vacuum device 1100 applies vacuum tomembrane banks 100 on each upstroke (relative to the position of theoxygen enrichment membrane) of the piston 1102 within cylinder 1104,thereby causing permeate to be pulled into cylinder 1104. On thedownstroke, with the action of check valves 1116, permeate is pushed outof cylinder 1104 and into air inlets 314, 414, 514, 614 and into theboilers 310, 410, 510, 610 of the respective flue gas generators 300,400, 500, 600

For the alternative embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, flue gas generator400 may have a stack 402 which may be capped with a closure device 404at the tip. Flue gas generator 400 may have an economizer 406, which isa heat exchanger which saves on fuel gas by preheating boiler feed waterfrom ambient temperature on the tube side up to approximately 200degrees Fahrenheit, utilizing hot stack gas on the shell side, utilizinga boiler feed water pump 408. Fuel for the boiler 410 is deliveredthrough fuel inlet 412. “Air” for the boiler 410 is delivered throughair inlet 414, although the “air” provided through the inlet will haveenriched concentrations of oxygen, carbon dioxide and water and areduced concentration if nitrogen, as described below. Discharge fromflue gas generator 400, which may comprise an enriched concentration ofcarbon dioxide, may be delivered to a cooler 416 with the cooled gasdehydrated with liquids removal equipment (not shown) and thenpressurized by a compressor or blower 418 for delivery to asequestration facility 5000.

Air provided to the boiler 410 first passes through membrane bank 100.Membrane bank 100 utilizes a vacuum-generating device 108 to drawambient air into contact with the individual leaf membrane units 102 andpull the permeate through each individual membrane. As previouslydiscussed, the vacuum generating device may be any of the various typesdescribed for the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3. Vacuum generatingdevice 108 discharges a permeate stream which, after being dehydrated asnecessary by separator 424 may be delivered to air inlet 414 and/orrouted to inlet 426 to secondary enrichment mechanism 700, 800,embodiments of which are described in greater detail below and depicted,respectively, in FIGS. 7-8. Alternatively, the secondary enrichmentmechanism may comprise a known cryogenic oxygen enrichment system.

For the alternative embodiment depicted in FIG. 5, flue gas generator500 is pressurized. The flue gas generator 500 has a stack 502 which iscapped with a closure device 504 at the tip. Flue gas generator 500 mayhave an economizer 506, which is a heat exchanger which saves on fuelgas by preheating boiler feed water from ambient temperature on the tubeside up to approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit, utilizing hot stack gason the shell side, utilizing a boiler feed water pump 508. Fuel for theboiler 510 is delivered through fuel inlet 512. “Air” for the boiler 510is delivered through air inlet 514, although the “air” provided throughthe inlet will have enriched concentrations of oxygen, carbon dioxideand water and a reduced concentration of nitrogen. Discharge from fluegas generator 500 is emitted at a pressure in excess of atmosphericpressure and therefore may have a highly enriched concentration ofcarbon dioxide. The discharge may be routed to separator 550, withenriched carbon dioxide discharged to sequestration facility 5000 andliquids discharged through outlet 554.

Air provided to the boiler 510 first passes through membrane bank 100.Membrane bank 100 utilizes a vacuum-generating device 108 to drawambient air into contact with the individual leaf membrane units 102 andpull the permeate through each individual membrane. As previouslydiscussed, the vacuum generating device may be any of the various typesdescribed for the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3. Vacuum generatingdevice 108 discharges a permeate stream which, after being dehydrated asnecessary by separator 524, is delivered to air inlet 514.

For the alternative embodiment depicted in FIG. 6, flue gas generator600 is pressurized. The flue gas generator 600 has a stack 602 which iscapped with a closure device 604 at the tip. Flue gas generator 600 mayhave an economizer 606, which is a heat exchanger which saves on fuelgas by preheating boiler feed water from ambient temperature on the tubeside up to approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit, utilizing hot stack gason the shell side, utilizing a boiler feed water pump 608. Fuel for theboiler 610 is delivered through fuel inlet 612. “Air” for the boiler 610is delivered through air inlet 614, although the “air” provided throughthe inlet will have enriched concentrations of oxygen, carbon dioxideand water. Discharge from flue gas generator 600 is emitted at apressure in excess of atmospheric pressure and therefore may have ahighly enriched concentration of carbon dioxide. The discharge may berouted to separator 650, with enriched carbon dioxide discharged tosequestration facility 5000 and liquids discharged through outlet 654.

Air provided to the boiler 610 first passes through membrane bank 100.Membrane bank 100 utilizes a vacuum-generating device 108 to drawambient air into contact with the individual leaf membrane units 102 andpull the permeate through each individual membrane. As previouslydiscussed, the vacuum generating device may be any of the various typesdescribed for the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3. Vacuum generatingdevice 108 discharges a permeate stream which, after being dehydrated asnecessary by separator 624 may be delivered to air inlet 614 and/orrouted to inlet 626 to secondary enrichment mechanism 700, 800,embodiments of which are described in greater detail below and depicted,respectively, in FIGS. 7-8. Alternatively, the secondary enrichmentmechanism may comprise a known cryogenic oxygen enrichment system.

FIG. 7 depicts an embodiment of a secondary enrichment mechanism 700.Secondary oxygen enrichment mechanism 700 receives “feed” (i.e.,permeate from membrane bank 100) through inlets 426, 626. The feed flowsinto enclosed conduit 702 where the feed encounters membrane units 704.In this embodiment of the secondary oxygen enrichment mechanism 700, themembrane units 704 may be the leaf membrane units 102 described aboveand depicted in FIG. 2. However, instead of being exposed to theatmosphere, the membrane units 704 of secondary enrichment mechanism 700are entirely enclosed and the feed is provided under pressure, with apressure differential created at headers 706 by blower 708, whichdelivers the permeate either to a tertiary enrichment mechanism, such asanother membrane system as depicted in FIGS. 7, 8 and shownschematically in FIG. 10, or to air inlets 414, 614 for boilers 410,610. Residue from the secondary enrichment mechanism 700 remains withinenclosed conduit 702 and may be discharge through an outlet, not shown.

FIG. 8 depicts an embodiment of a secondary enrichment mechanism 800.Secondary enrichment mechanism 800 receives “feed” (i.e., permeate frommembrane bank 100) through inlets 426, 626. The feed flows underpressure into enclosed conduit 802 where the feed encounters membraneunits 804.

In this embodiment of the secondary enrichment mechanism 800, themembrane units 804 may be spiral wound membrane units 900 as depicted inFIG. 9, with the feed entering into the front face 902 of each unit andthe residue stream leaving the rear face 904 of each unit. Spiral woundmembrane unit 900 is fabricated from alternating sheets of membranesheets and spacer sheets. An expanded detail of an unwound membrane unitis shown in detail A of FIG. 9, where the spiral membrane unit has thefollowing elements: (1) a bottom feed/residue spacer 1; (2) a bottommembrane sheet 2; (3) a permeate spacer 3; (4) a top membrane sheet 4;(5) a top feed/residue spacer 5; (6) a bottom feed/residue channel 6;(7) a bottom feed permeate channel 7; (8) a top permeate channel 8; and(9) a top feed/residue channel 9. The membrane sheet layers 2, 4 areglued to the feed/residue spacers 1, 5 at the front edges only and gluedto the permeate spacer 3 at the front and the side edges. The open endsof permeate channels 7, 8 are attached over perforations in the permeatecollection pipe 908. The top feed/residue spacer 5 is longitudinallyribbed on the bottom of the spacer and the bottom feed/residue spacer 1is longitudinally ribbed on the top of the spacer. Permeate spacer 3 islaterally ribbed on the top and bottom of the spacer.

Gas flows in a spiral pattern through the spiral wound membrane with thepermeate received by permeate collection pipe 910. The ends of permeatecollection pipe 910 may threaded so that the spiral wound membrane unitsmay be attached in an end-to-end configuration for collection of thepermeate. Permeate collection pipes 910 are connected to permeatecollection header 806

The membrane units 904 for secondary enrichment mechanism 900 areentirely enclosed and the feed is provided under pressure, with apressure differential created at permeate collection header 806 byblower 808, which delivers the permeate either to a tertiary enrichmentmechanism, such as another membrane system as depicted in FIGS. 7, 8 orto air inlets 414, 614 for boilers 410, 610. Residue from the secondaryenrichment mechanism 800 will remain within enclosed conduit 802 and maybe discharge through an outlet, not shown.

FIG. 10 schematically depicts a configuration of a secondary andtertiary enrichment structures which may be utilized in embodiments ofthe invention. As indicated in the figures, vacuum-generating devices708, 808, as described herein are required to pull the feed gas throughthe membranes of secondary enrichment mechanisms 700, 800 and pressurizethe post membrane permeate to service destinations which may includesequestration facility 5000. For secondary enrichment mechanisms 700,800 a strong vacuum blower 708, 808, usually a liquid ring compressiondevice, is needed to pull the permeate through. Dehydration and liquidseparation devices 1024 are required.

With the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, the flue gasstream from the flue gas generator 300, 400, 500, 600 is reduced involume and thus more economical to transport because ducts and permeateblower systems may be substantially reduced in size.

While the above is a description of various embodiments of the presentinvention, further modifications may be employed without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus the scope of theinvention should not be limited according to these factors, butaccording to the following appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for direct air capture of componentsof atmospheric air comprising: a membrane unit comprising an outersurface and an inner surface, wherein the membrane unit is configuredsuch that as a first gas comprising a first concentration of nitrogen, afirst concentration of oxygen, a first concentration of water, and afirst concentration of carbon dioxide is drawn into the outer surfaceand passes through the membrane, a permeate stream exits the innersurface where the permeate stream comprises a second concentration ofnitrogen, a second concentration of oxygen, a second concentration ofwater, and a second concentration of carbon dioxide wherein the secondconcentration of oxygen is greater than the first concentration ofoxygen, the second concentration of water is greater than the firstconcentration of water, the second concentration of carbon dioxide isgreater than the first concentration of carbon dioxide, and the secondconcentration of nitrogen is less than the first concentration ofnitrogen; a permeate collection device which collects the permeatestream; a vacuum-generating device which applies a vacuum to themembrane unit; and a delivery conduit which conducts at least a portionof the permeate stream to a flue gas generator wherein the flue gasgenerator is disposed between the vacuum generating device and asequestering facility.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein thesequestering facility comprises a plurality of photosynthetic organisms.3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sequestering facility comprisesan enhanced oil recovery system.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein themembrane unit comprises a sheet element comprising edges attached to aribbed sheet, wherein a membrane envelope is defined between the sheetelement and the ribbed sheet.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein themembrane envelope comprises an open edge through which the permeatestream is channeled to the delivery conduit.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the vacuum-generating device comprises a liquid ring compressor.7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vacuum-generating devicecomprises a bellows unit.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprisinga secondary enrichment system disposed between the vacuum generatingdevice and the sequestering facility.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8wherein the secondary enrichment system comprises an in-line typeenclosed membrane unit.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the in-linetype enclosed membrane unit comprises a sheet membrane element mountedwithin an enclosed conduit.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein thein-line type enclosed membrane unit comprises a spiral wound membraneelement mounted within an enclosed conduit.
 12. The system of claim 8wherein the secondary enrichment system comprises a cryogenic oxygenenrichment system.
 13. The system of claim 1 wherein the flue gasgenerator is pressurized.
 14. An apparatus for direct air capture ofcarbon dioxide from atmospheric air comprising: a membrane unitcomprising a first membrane sheet, a second membrane sheet, and a ribbedsheet sandwiched between the first membrane sheet and the secondmembrane sheet, the ribbed sheet comprising a first side comprising aplurality of ribs, the first side in facing relation with a bottom sideof the first membrane sheet, wherein an upper envelope is definedbetween the first side of the ribbed sheet and the bottom side of thefirst membrane sheet, the first side having a plurality of edgesattached to a plurality of corresponding edges of the of the firstmembrane sheet, the first side further comprising an unattached edgeadjacent to a corresponding unattached edge of the first membrane sheetthereby defining an upper envelope open edge, wherein the plurality ofribs on the first side are configured to direct flow to the upperenvelope open edge, the ribbed sheet further comprising a second sidecomprising a plurality of ribs, the second side in facing relation witha top side of the second membrane sheet, wherein a lower envelope isdefined between the second side of the ribbed sheet and the top side ofthe second membrane sheet, the second side having a plurality of edgesattached to a plurality of corresponding edges of the second membranesheet, the second side further comprising an unattached edge adjacent toa corresponding unattached edge of the second membrane sheet therebydefining a lower envelope open edge, wherein the plurality of ribs onthe second side are configured to direct flow to the lower envelope openedge; a collection conduit having a slot attached to the upper envelopeopen edge and the lower envelope open edge wherein following theexposure of the first membrane sheet and the second membrane sheet to agas comprising carbon dioxide, a permeate stream comprising an enrichedconcentration of carbon dioxide passes into the upper envelope and thelower envelope and passes through the upper envelope open edge and thelower envelope open edge into the collection conduit; and a deliveryconduit connected to the collection conduit which conducts at least aportion of the enriched concentration of carbon dioxide contained in thepermeate stream to a sequestering facility.
 15. The apparatus of claim14 further comprising a vacuum-generating device which applies a vacuumto the membrane unit.
 16. A method for direct air capture of componentsof atmospheric ambient air comprises the following steps: exposing amembrane unit to atmospheric air, the membrane unit comprising an outersurface and an inner surface, wherein the membrane unit is configuredsuch that as a first gas comprising a first concentration of oxygen, afirst concentration of carbon dioxide and a first concentration ofnitrogen is drawn into the outer surface and passes through the membraneunit a permeate stream exits the inner surface where the permeate streamcomprises a second concentration of oxygen, a second concentration ofcarbon dioxide and a second concentration of nitrogen, wherein thesecond concentration of oxygen is greater than the first concentrationof oxygen, the second concentration of carbon dioxide is greater thanthe first concentration of carbon dioxide, and the second concentrationof nitrogen is less than the first concentration of nitrogen; applying avacuum to the membrane unit through a permeate conduit; receiving thepermeate stream into the permeate conduit; utilizing at least a portionof the permeate stream to provide enriched oxygen for a flue gasgenerator; cooling at least a portion of a flue gas stream from the fluegas generator resulting in a produced water condensed from a flue gasstream and a cooled and partially dehydrated flue gas stream; deliveringat least a portion of the cooled and partially dehydrated flue gasstream to a sequestering facility.
 17. The method of claim 16 furthercomprising the steps of taking the permeate stream from the permeateconduit, transmitting the permeate stream to a secondary enrichmentsystem disposed between the permeate conduit and flue gas generator,which produces a more highly enriched oxygen stream permeate.
 18. Anapparatus for direct air capture of components of atmospheric aircomprising: a membrane unit comprising an outer surface and an innersurface, wherein the membrane unit is configured such that as a firstgas comprising a first concentration of nitrogen, a first concentrationof oxygen, a first concentration of water, and a first concentration ofcarbon dioxide is drawn into the outer surface and passes through themembrane, a permeate stream exits the inner surface where the permeatestream comprises a second concentration of nitrogen, a secondconcentration of oxygen, a second concentration of water, and a secondconcentration of carbon dioxide wherein the second concentration ofoxygen is greater than the first concentration of oxygen, the secondconcentration of water is greater than the first concentration of water,the second concentration of carbon dioxide is greater than the firstconcentration of carbon dioxide, and the second concentration ofnitrogen is less than the first concentration of nitrogen; a permeatecollection device which collects the permeate stream; avacuum-generating device which applies a vacuum to the membrane unit; asecondary enrichment system which receives at least a portion of thepermeate stream from the permeate collection device; and a deliveryconduit which conducts at least a portion of the permeate stream to asequestering facility.